Exhibit Development in a Science Centre - Internship at the Glasgow Science Centre

This report describes an internship at Glasgow Science Centre, in the city of Glasgow, Scotland. The internship was integrated into the Floor 1 Refresh Project and in the field of exhibit analysis and improvement. In this work, we consider that exhibits are the interactive objects that explain a certain scientific phenomenon through their use, in science centres and museums. The F1 project consists in reorganising and improving the entire gallery on the Floor 1, but the internship itself focused on a specific cluster of exhibits and in testing new ways of interpretation (referring to the interpretative labels fixed on the exhibits). After doing a SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats) analysis on the Floor 1 and sharing some general ideas, the work focused on a Prototype Exhibit Cluster with four exhibits regarding the theme of the Sound: the Singing Bowl, the How does the Sound move through air, the Guitar Oscilloscope and the Xylophone and the Soundbox. Different interpretative labels were tried as well as different placements with a randomly selected audience. The original labels in the shape of prisms were tested, as well as some prototype new texts in simple panels with curiosities about sound. It started with front-end evaluation with one observation of the visitor’s interaction with the exhibits as they were before. Then, the exhibits were moved to create the Prototype Sound Cluster and it was made a formative evaluation with two more observations with the new prototype texts. Time spent in each exhibit was tracked as well as signs of Learning Behaviours and the results were treated to access the Visitor Engagement Profile of the exhibits. Final interviews with other visitors and some staff were also made. The data collected, allowed to test gradually changes in the exhibits during this short prototyping process. The interviews help to understand improvements to make in these exhibits for the future

Adenoma pleomórfico da parótida: efeitos laterais da abordagem terapêutica

O Adenoma Pleomórfico da Parótida é o tumor mais comum das Glândulas Salivares (60-80%). Apresenta maior incidência na Glândula Parótida (80-85%). Realizou-se uma revisão bibliográfica sobre o adenoma pleomórfico da parótida e os efeitos laterais na sua abordagem terapêutica, principalmente cirúrgica. Fez-se uma pesquisa bibliográfica entre 2003-2017. A exposição a radiação apresenta-se como o fator de risco ambiental principal. Fatores genéticos têm sido explorados. O ultrassom e a biópsia aspirativa com punção fina são os exames complementares de diagnóstico de primeira escolha, mas se houver acometimento do lobo profundo, realiza-se ressonância magnética juntamente com a biópsia. A abordagem terapêutica é preferencialmente cirúrgica -a parotidectomia. Esta cirurgia possibilita complicações pós-operatórias como disfunção do nervo facial (9.3% -64.6%) e o síndrome de Frey (35-60%). Considera-se o diagnóstico precoce de extrema importância pois existe risco de transformação maligna (20%). O Médico Dentista está numa posição privilegiada para atuar no diagnóstico e promover um encaminhamento atempado e adequado.The Pleomorphic Adenoma of the Parotid gland is the most common tumor of the salivary glands (60-80%). Presents a higher incidence in the Parotid gland (80-85%). A literature review on the Pleomorphic adenoma of the parotid and side effects in therapeutic approach, mainly surgical. A bibliographical research was done, between 2003-2017. Exposure to radiation is the main environmental risk factor. Genetic factors have been explored. The ultrasound and aspiration biopsy with thin puncture are complementary diagnostic examinations of first choice, but if there is involvement of the deep lobe, magnetic resonance imaging along with the biopsy may be done. The therapeutic approach is preferably-surgical parotidectomy. This surgery allows postoperative complications such as facial nerve dysfunction (9.3%-64.6%) and Frey Syndrome (35-60%). It is considered the early diagnosis of extreme importance because there is a risk of malignant transformation (20%). The Dentist is in a privileged position to act in the diagnosis and promote a timely and appropriate referral

An analysis of intransitive and pantomime gestures in autism spectrum disorder

Dissertação de mestrado integrado em PsicologiaEven though some light has been shed on the processes underlying the identification and production of gestures, to this day it is still unclear how meaningful gestures (intransitive and pantomime) are processed. In this study, we aim to further assess what sets apart (or brings together) intransitive and pantomime gestures, while also exploring a subdivision of each gesture in “towards the body” (e.g. scratching head, putting perfume on), and “away from the body” (e.g. beckoning, stirring soup). To that end, 18 typical-development and 11 Autism Spectrum Disorder participants (known for having considerable difficulties identifying and producing gestures) were asked to perform intransitive and pantomime gestures and also watched videos of an actress performing meaningful and meaningless gestures while deciding if said gesture was meaningful. Differences were found in both the performance and identification of intransitive and pantomime gestures, a result consistent with each type of gesture taking advantage of distinct pathways in the brain, the pathway for intransitives appearing to be most affected by the deficits that characterize Autism Spectrum Disorder. Regarding the towaApesar de algumas descobertas acerca dos processos de identificação e produção de gestos, é pouco claro como os gestos com significado (intransitivo e pantomímico) são processados. No presente estudo, o objetivo é o de compreender o que separa (ou assemelha) gestos intransitivos e pantomímicos, explorando uma subdivisão de cada gesto em “em direção ao corpo” (e.g.: coçar a cabeça, pôr perfume), e “em direção ao outro” (e.g.: acenar, mexer a sopa). Para tal, 18 participantes de desenvolvimento típico e 11 com Perturbação do Espetro do Autismo (conhecidos por terem dificuldades na identificação e produção de gestos) produziram gestos intransitivos e pantomímicos, tendo também visto vídeos de uma atriz a produzir gestos com ou sem significado. Nesta última tarefa, os participantes tinham de decidir se o gesto que estavam a ver tinha significado. Foram encontradas diferenças, tanto na produção como na identificação de gestos intransitivos e pantomímicos – resultado consistente com o facto de cada tipo de gesto tirar partido de caminhos cerebrais distintos. Neste sentido, o caminho para intransitivos parece ser o mais afetado nos participantes com Perturbação do Espetro do Autismo. Em relação à distinção entre “em direção ao corpo” vs. “em direção ao outro”, os resultados foram inconclusivos

Determinantes da utilização na pós-implementação de sistemas integrados de gestão

Os sistemas integrados de gestão, vulgarmente conhecidos por sistemas ERP, são investimentos fundamentais para as organizações que os implementam. Constituindo, geralmente, investimentos avultados, contribuem para a transformação dos processos de negócio quando exigem uma adaptação da empresa às práticas de trabalho que estão subjacentes a este tipo de sistemas. No entanto, para que a implementação dum sistema ERP seja considerada um sucesso, não será suficiente concluir o projeto de implementação em termos de satisfação dos requisitos, tempo e orçamento. O sucesso da implementação dum sistema ERP vai muito para além do seu início de funcionamento. O verdadeiro retorno de investimento ocorrerá quando, após a implementação, a organização utilizar efetivamente o sistema e aproveitar o seu potencial. Para que tal aconteça, deverá existir uma ação concertada das várias partes interessadas e envolvidas na utilização do sistema, isto é, aqueles que na organização mais diretamente podem contribuir e também beneficiar com a utilização do sistema ERP, aqui designados por stakeholders no que à utilização diz respeito. Face à reduzida literatura referente à pós-implementação de sistemas ERP e para a qual se pretende contribuir em mais um contexto de utilização, recorre-se nesta investigação ao estudo de caso num grupo empresarial têxtil que tem implementado um sistema ERP há cinco anos. Partindo da literatura existente para a identificação dum conjunto inicial de determinantes, da sua discussão no âmbito de focus group constituído no caso em estudo, são identificados os stakeholders e para cada um, o fator que se considera mais determinante para a efetiva utilização de sistemas ERP. Dessas discussões decorrem ainda um conjunto de medidas a serem aplicadas por cada um dos stakeholders identificados para a maior e melhor utilização de sistemas ERP após a sua implementação

Potential for adaptation overrides cost of resistance

The deposited article is a post-print version and has been submitted to peer review.This deposit is composed by the main article plus the supplementary materials of the publication.This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 Unported License. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/To investigate the cost of antibiotic resistance versus the potential for resistant clones to adapt in maintaining polymorphism for resistance. Materials & methods: Experimental evolution of Escherichia coli carrying different resistance alleles was performed under an environment devoid of antibiotics and evolutionary parameters estimated from their frequencies along time. Results & conclusion: Costly resistance mutations were found to coexist with lower cost resistances for hundreds of generations, contrary to the hypothesis that the cost of a resistance dictates its extinction. Estimated evolutionary parameters for the different resistance backgrounds suggest a higher adaptive potential of clones with costly antibiotic resistance mutations, overriding their initial cost of resistance and allowing their maintenance in the absence of drugs.The research leading to these results has received funding from the European Research Council under the European Community's Seventh Framework Programme (FP7/2007–2013)/ERC grant agreement no 260421 – ECOADAPT, and PTDC/BIA-EVF/114622/2009, financed by Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia (FCT). I Gordo acknowledges the salary support of LAO/ITQB & FCT. JM de Sousa acknowledges the scholarship SFRH/BD/89151/2012, from FCT.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Chitosan-based drug delivery systems – optimization and modelling

The increase of cancer incidence on the last decades and the non-existence of totally ef-ficient therapies, leads to an urgent need to develop new cures or enhance the therapies al-ready in use. Chemotherapy has been one of the most used therapies for cancer disease, and although it is very efficient in destroying malignant cells, it also comes with many disadvantages for the patients, especially due to its lack of specificity to tumour cells. In this work, all studies were made using doxorubicin (DOX), a drug commonly used in chemotherapy that apart from destroying cancer cells, also lead to future cardiotoxicity problems to the patients. A targeted drug delivery system was studied in this work, using two biopolymers, chitosan and one of its derivatives, o-HTCC, taking advantage of their pH-sensitivity. Doxorubicin was encapsulated in both chitosan and o-HTCC nanoparticles and also in superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPION’s) coated with both chitosan and o-HTCC. DOX release experiments were performed for different pH mediums, representing different in-vivo situations: bloodstream (7.4), tumour cells environment (6.5) and endosomal/lysosomal compartments (4.5). It was verified that an initial burst effect occurs, especially in more acidic medium, and a controlled release was then achieved. A higher drug release was observed in pH 4.5 in all nanocarriers in study. Mathematical models were applied to the data, finding that Weibull and Korsmeyer-Peppas models are the best fit in describing DOX release mechanism. It was concluded that DOX release happened through a complex and anomalous mechanism for almost all the samples, probably due to the swelling behaviour of the polymers. A study of the influence of polymer molecular weight was also performed and it was con-cluded that this parameter only has influence in nanoparticles’ size. This work indicates that these nanocarriers can be further developed for targeted drug delivery systems, especially with doxorubicin

Industrial waste whey as a low-cost, efficient and environmentally safe disinfectant, with potential applications for minimally processed foodstuff

Current Approaches in Science and Technology Research, Vol. 14, Chapter 11Being a fast and reliable way to access healthy products, fresh-cut fruit and vegetables are becoming a rapidly rising sector of the horticultural industry with a concomitant high consumer demand. Fresh-cut processing usually involves sanitizing steps, with chlorine washing being the general choice. Due to the health harming effects of chlorine, there has been an increasing demand for alternative disinfecting agents. Under this context, fermented cheese whey has shown potential as a natural sanitizing agent but has been poorly tested in fresh-cut produce. Furthermore, it also continues to pose an environmental problem because it still contains a high organic load. Here we aimed at developing a low-cost, scalable fermentation protocol to produce a disinfectant from dairy waste that has very little organic content and high levels of lactic acid. Fermentation was achieved with industrial whey from ewe, goat, and cow´s milk, using a specific mesophilic-lactic acid bacteria starter mix over a more prolonged fermentation of 120 h, which yielded the highest lactic acid production and the lowest lactose content. Antibacterial activity was observed against Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella enterica, and Escherichia coli O157:H7, plus a total of thirteen other food pathogenic and spoilage strains, and antibacterial activities were determined to be highest after 120 h. We further validated this whey’s application as a disinfectant in shredded lettuce and compared its efficacy to that of chlorine, evaluating microbial quality, texture, color, and sensory perception, pH, and O2 and CO2 determinations. Results showed that not only was microbial quality better when using our whey solution (p < 0.05), but also the quality indicators for whey were statistically similar to those treated with chlorine. Hence, our work validates the use of an industrial waste whey as a low-cost, efficient, and environmentally safe disinfectant, with potential applications for minimally processed foodstuffs as an alternative to chlorineinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Adesão e aliança no processo terapêutico em terapia focada nas emoções

A avaliação da adesão pode apresentar-se como uma ferramenta útil na intervenção terapêutica pois permite aos terapeutas uma visão sobre a forma como estes conduzem o processo terapêutico, promovendo a adequação da sua própria intervenção.N/

Multiple Resistance at No Cost: Rifampicin and Streptomycin a Dangerous Liaison in the Spread of Antibiotic Resistance

Evidence is mounting that epistasis is widespread among mutations. The cost of carrying two deleterious mutations, or the advantage of acquiring two beneficial alleles, is typically lower that the sum of their individual effects. Much less is known on epistasis between beneficial and deleterious mutations, even though this is key to the amount of genetic hitchhiking that may occur during evolution. This is particularly important in the context of antibiotic resistance: Most resistances are deleterious, but some can be beneficial and remarkably rifampicin resistance can emerge de novo in populations evolving without antibiotics. Here we show pervasive positive pairwise epistasis on Escherichia coli fitness between beneficial mutations, which confer resistance to rifampicin, and deleterious mutations, which confer resistance to streptomycin. We find that 65% of double resistant strains outcompete sensitive bacteria in an environment devoid of antibiotics. Weak beneficial mutations may therefore overcome strong deleterious mutations and can even render double mutants strong competitors.LAO/ITQB, FCT